


Natural

by CityEscape4



Series: Zexal Month 2019 [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: M/M, Memory Loss, Post-Canon, Zexal Month
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-30 23:28:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20105377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CityEscape4/pseuds/CityEscape4
Summary: Durbe doesn't know what to make of the purple-haired young man asleep in the chair positioned directly next to his bed.





	Natural

**Author's Note:**

> An anon ask from Tumblr
> 
> I'm currently taking suggestions for Zexal themed prompts for Zexal Month! Send them to my writing tumblr: City-writes.tumblr.com!

Durbe doesn't know what to make of the purple-haired young man asleep in the chair positioned directly next to his bed. He woke up to find this young man's upper half was slumped across the side of his bed, his head turned towards him. He didn't know who this was, didn't know where they were, and why they were like this.

He looks around, noticing the IV hooked up to his arm, the second bed behind this young man, the beeping of the machinery that's accompanying his saline drip, and--

From the other side of his bed, he's met with a beautiful young woman, sitting in a chair some 2 feet away, watching him closely with curious pink eyes. His gaze meets hers, and they stare at each other for a few moments, Durbe looking frantically for some sort of explanation in her eyes.

She opens her mouth slightly, then closes it again, frowning. Theres something in her expression - hurt? - that makes Durbe feel guilty for not being able to place her.

"You don't remember us." A simple sentence, delivered softly by her, yet it was enough to send his stomach into a tizzy - enough to make him feel worse than guilty, like he'd betrayed these people's trust somehow.

"I... no. I don't." He looks down at the young man and decides he doesn't want to be in the room with them, with _her_, anymore. Something about her presence is oddly chilling, and he can't help but tremble under her gaze. He swallows, the action difficult for some reason, and her tone changes.

"Durbe..." He looks up at her again - _thats my name but how do you know it_ \- and freezes at her expression, forlorn and pitying and--

His face is wet. A shuddering breath leaves him and he raises a trembling hand to his face and feels the tears trickle down, feels the weight on his chest heavy, and looks to her for help.

She looks close to tears herself, but doesn't cry, and instead speaks. "There was once a time where we didn't remember you." She shifts, sitting up more, leaning more towards him. "But you never stopped, never gave up on us. We both intend to do the same."

Durbe looks down to the young man asleep at his bedside, and shakes his head, keeping his gaze away from her. "I don't even know your names."

_Ryoga._ A warm feeling envelopes Durbe at his name, one that is enough to soothe the ache and hurt and help the tears slow. He looks over Ryoga, hesitating before brushing a bit of hair from Ryoga's face.

Rio smiles at that, though the action goes unnoticed by Durbe, who to her seems somewhat enamored with Ryoga. There's a few moments of silence between them, before Durbe speaks.

"You said you once forgot me. Have we known each other long?" He looks at her then questioningly, a look of contemplation on his face.

Rio is silent for a moment, before nodding. "Yes. We've known each other for a long time. We've been close for many, many years."

"... How did I forget? How did I get here?"

There's a breath's hesitation from Rio, but regardless, she replies. "There was an accident. You and Ryoga were out together, on his motorbike. Someone crashed into you both from the side. Ryoga was partially spared by airbags, but you were knocked off of the bike. Your helmet wasn't on properly, and you suffered a blow to the head. That was late yesterday."

Durbe looks again at Ryoga, and only now notices he's in a hospital gown, with some minor bandaging around his arms. He realizes the bed he noticed behind Ryoga was meant for him.

"Why isn't he in his bed, then?" Durbe looks back and forth between the empty bed and Ryoga slumped over uncomfortably by him. "He should be there, he shouldn't be by..." There's a slow warmth rising to Durbe's cheeks, and he looks towards Rio. "He shouldn't be by me...!"

Rio smiles yet again, this time Durbe sees. "The nurses have been trying to tell him the same thing, but he refuses." She folds her arms and shakes her head. "He's been stubborn about it ever since we've gotten here."

"But why?"

"Because he's been worried about you, Durbe." Rio exhales and is silent again, before continuing. "The doctor said there was a chance there'd be some form of amnesia, we just didn't know how severe it would be. Ryoga didn't want to believe it. He feels guilty." She looks at Ryoga then, a sad smile on her face. "He thinks he should have seen that car that hit you, should have paid more attention."

Durbe's silent at that, and finds himself drawn to Ryoga's sleeping form again. He notices the frown etched into Ryoga's sleeping expression, and hesitates once more before reaching out a hand to rub at his back soothingly. He finds himself smiling as Ryoga's expression softens into something more relaxed, more calm.

His hand then moves, shifting from Ryoga's back to his head, and gently begins to run his hand through the other male's hair, surprised at how natural the move felt, how _right_ it felt. He feels proud at the hum of content that leaves the sleeping young man, who's expression has finally shifted into a smile, albeit a small one.

Durbe's pulled out of his musings by light laughter, and tenses. _That's right she was in the room--_ He looks to Rio, embarrassment flush across his face.

Rio's laughter stops at that, and her expression changes into a softer, more heartfelt smile. "Its amazing, you don't remember us, but you still do that."

Durbe's eyes dart from Rio to Ryoga, then back to Rio again. "Do what?"

"The hair thing." she specifies, shifting in her chair. "Ryoga always liked it when you played with his hair, even if he'd never say it." She crosses one leg over the other, and rests an elbow on her knee, so that she could hold her face in her hand. "Your go-to move was always to run your fingers through it."

Durbe blinks at her words. This was a normal thing for him to do? He looks at his hand in Ryoga's hair, and slowly runs it through again, reveling in how familiar it feels. "...You said the three of us were close. How close are he and I?" He asks, looking back up at Rio.

There's a mischivious grin on her face, like she'd been waiting for him to ask this very question. "Well, fairly close." She nods and shifts again, recrossing her legs and folding her arms, looking to Ryoga before locking eyes with Durbe. "You two have been dating for a couple years now." She laughs as Durbe's face turns beet red, and he looks back and forth from her and Ryoga as if to silently ask, "Really?"

She nods, her laughter dying down as Ryoga stirs, but doesn't awaken, and her smile turns a little more serious. "Honestly, you've dated before. You dated a long time ago, before we forgot who you were. After you helped us remember, the two of you each wanted to get back together, but didn't know how to go about it. Ryoga was the one to initiate things starting back up again."

The color in Durbe's face remains stubbornly put as he focuses his attention on Ryoga. Who was apparently his boyfriend. Who was staying at his bedside, despite what doctors and nurses had been telling him. Who was going to have to wake up at some point and be disappointed because Durbe remembered nothing.

"I shouldn't..." He withdrew his hand from Ryoga's hair, the color in his face beginning to die down, "I shouldn't be doing this. I don't want to disappoint him."

Rio frowns, shaking her head. "You won't. Just... do what feels natural." She gets up then, and walks to Durbe's bedside, grasping one of his hands. "We're here for you, no matter what, okay?"

There's something in her tone, something about her in general, that Durbe can't help but trust, and feel comforted by. He nods, and she leans in to carefully hug him. 

"I'm going to go get something to eat from the cafeteria, ok? I'll be back soon."

"Alright." Durbe replies, nodding in response again, and watches her as she leaves the hospital room. He's quiet for a couple seconds, before speaking aloud.

"Do what feels natural."

At that, his hand finds its way back to Ryoga's head, and resumes its previous job of running through his hair.

* * *

Its only another 15 minutes before Ryoga wakes up. Gray eyes meet with sleep-addled blue and _wow his eyes are beautiful_ and they stay like that for a few seconds before Ryoga sits up, wincing as his body readjusts to sitting properly as opposed to hunched over. Durbe's hand falls from Ryoga's hair and recedes back to Durbe's side.

"Do you remember me?" Ryoga's voice comes low and soft, as if something would shatter if he spoke too loudly.

"No," Durbe regretfully admits after a moment's hesitation, "but Rio told me about us. I'm sorry I'm not--"

"Don't apologize." Ryoga says, cutting Durbe off. "You have nothing to apologize for." Ryoga grabs one of Durbe's hands, bowing his head and shaking it. "I should have noticed that car speeding, I should have reacted faster, I should have--"

"Ryoga." Ryoga looks up at Durbe then, and Durbe uses his free hand to gently hold Ryoga's face. There's regret in his eyes, and sorrow and, for some reason Durbe can't help but feel is surprising, fear. Something in Durbe's gut tells him this is Ryoga at his most open, that this isn't something he'd openly display on a normal basis.

Durbe finds himself leaning forward, and notices Ryoga is leaning in too. He instinctively closes his eyes.

He feels the heat from Ryoga's face before anything. Or was that the heat from his own? He can't tell, and frankly, doesn't care, not as Ryoga's lips meet his and for such a simple, chaste kiss, he feels a warmth blossom all throughout himself, one that just felt so familiar... Like he should have known he'd feel like this after kissing Ryoga. Was this what it had always felt like when he'd kissed Ryoga?

Durbe feels a hand cup his face, and he pulls away from the kiss just a bit, his forehead leaning against Ryoga's, the tips of their noses just barely touching. He opens his eyes slowly, only to find Ryoga's eyes tightly shut. "Ryoga?"

Ryoga shakes his head. "I thought I'd lost you again. I couldn't... I hated the thought."

Durbe's confused, unsure of what Ryoga means by 'again', but pulls his hand free from Ryoga's, and cups the other side of Ryoga's face, now holding him with both of his hands. "I..." _Just do what feels natural. _ Durbe exhales at the internal words of Rio, and speaks. "I'm not going anywhere."

Ryoga's hands move to Durbe's wrists, holding him in place. "Good." He opens his eyes then, and Durbe gives a small gasp, seeing unshed tears in Ryoga's eyes. "I would have never've forgiven myself if..." Ryoga's voice trails off, and Durbe feels his heart ache.

"You'll help me remember, won't you, Ryoga?" He asks, already knowing the answer.

"Of course." Ryoga replies, and Durbe's not sure who initiates it, but the two of them kiss again, the action short and sweet. 

When they break apart, Durbe moves one of his hands back to Ryoga's hair, running his fingers through it, and Ryoga practically melts in his hands, closing his eyes and smiling, leaning into Durbe's touch.

Durbe laughs and a thought occurs to him. He hesitates for a moment, before throwing caution to the wind and speaking. "Ryoga."

Ryoga opens his eyes, his gaze fixed on Durbe. "Yeah?"

"If one good thing came out of this," Durbe begins with a smile, "Its that I get to fall in love with you all over again."

Upon seeing a red tint rise to Ryoga's face, Durbe laughs, and leans in for one more kiss.


End file.
